FRIENDS WORTH KNOWING. 
i be 
HONG AC’ SNA LE len, 
Two-ruirps of the persons to whom I show the little 
land and fresh-water mollusks in my snailery either start 
!’ which causes me 
back with an “Oh! the horrid things 
some amusement, or else gaze straight out of the window, 
. ° = ¢ a . - e 39 ° . - 
saying languidly, “ How interesting!’ which hurts my 
pride. I confess, therefore, that it is contrary to experi- 
ence to attempt to interest general readers with an ac- 
count of 
“Ye little snails, with slippery tails, 
Who noiselessly travel across my gravel.” 
Yet why not? Snails are of vast multitude and variety, 
ancient race, graceful form, dignified manners, industrious 
habits and gustatory excellence ; quod est demonstrandum. 
Snails differ from.other gasteropodous mollusks chiefly 
